Pentacle
When performing a magickal rite, it is important that the symbols you use convey your objective. As an agency of the Earth element, the pentacle makes the ideal surface on which to place your symbolic representations during the ritual. Because the pentacle will be serving as the host to your magickal objectives, it is important to consider the physical properties of the pentacle itself. These include: the substance you make your pentacle from, color, and inscriptions or engravings. Elemental Pentacle The Elemental Pentacle, the most famous symbol of Witchcraft is a bold and fascinating statement about our place in the Universe. When the pentacle is drawn or written, the image created is called a pentagram. The pentagram represents an ancient concept that can be found in philosophical thought in both East and West. Although over 8,000 years old, the image of the pentagram is applicable in our modern world. The pentagram tells us that we have the ability to bring Spirit to Earth; this applies to every area of practical day-to-day living, as well as spiritual thought. The ability of bringing Spirit to Earth is what makes us whole. In Craft rituals, the pentacle is a round disk inscribed with a pentagram and placed upon on the altar. The disk can be made of many different materials. In more dangerous times, the pentacle was crafted from disposable materials such as clay or dough. To be caught in possession of a pentacle in those days could very well endanger your life. Nowadays, pentacles are crafted in metals such as copper, brass, silver or gold. Many Witches make their own from stained glass or by etching stones or wood. The pentacle can also be personalized by adding appropriate astrological symbols, runes and other sigils (magical symbols) that have special meaning to the practitioner. Many Witches wear a pentacle pendant or ring as a sign of their religion or as an amulet or talisman. The pentacle crafted from silver represents Moon energy and psychic forces. The same symbol made in gold represents the Sun energies of power and strength. Many pentacles come with embedded stones which can represent birth months or a particular energy that the wearer wants to attract. During magical operations, the pentagram can be drawn in the air by the athame or sword. When drawn a certain way, it is used to either invoke or banish energies. Used on the altar, it becomes a focal point to draw in and send out the intentions of the spell or working. The simplest spells of this kind are those involving candle magic. A candle of the appropriate colour is charged and place on the pentacle. Traditionally, each of the five angles has been attributed to the five metaphysical elements of the ancients: EARTH: (lower left hand corner) represents stability and physical endurance. FIRE: (lower right hand corner) represents courage and daring. WATER: (upper right hand corner) represents emotions and intuition. AIR: (upper left hand corner) represents intelligence and the arts. SPIRIT: (at the topmost point) represents the All and the Divine. The Circle around the star represents the God-Goddess; it refracts and reflects all light, bringing to the wearer total intelligence, universal wisdom and protection. The origins of the pentagram go back to remotest historical antiquity. As far back as pre-Babylonian Sumer, it has been venerated by many civilizations. To the Jewish peoples, it symbolically designated the Pentateauch, the Five Books of Moses It has survived under a variety of titles, such as “The Druid’s Root” and “The Witches Star”. To the followers of Pythagoras, it was called “The Pentalpha” being composed of five interlaced A’s or Alphas. The Alpha being the first word of the alphabet, we can perhaps view it as showing forth unity in the midst of multiplicity. The individual as part of the Whole. To ceremonial magicians, the points can represent various elemental energies, spirits or deities. It is the ruling of the higher mind over the lower elements of our being. It signals the awakening of cosmic consciousness and the beginnings of our own human psyche moving beyond the realms of physical form and the perceptions limited to the five senses. It allows the infinite possibilities that exist within the Universe and frees us to explore and to grow. This becomes a graphic portrayal of Spirit ruling over the five elements. When the pentagram is placed within a circle, it’s energy is focused and directed. The pentagram upright, to those of spiritual perception, represents the redemption of Spirit from matter by ruling over it. Used inverted, with the top point pointed downward, it represents a second or third degree status in some traditional groups. Many of these groups have since substituted a triangle form for the same degrees because of the association of the inverted form of the pentacle with Satanism and black magic. The number five is attributed to the influence of Mars. Thus some Witches think of the five pointed star within the circle as force or power contained and controlled by divine wisdom. Wood Wood is symbolic of the mother, the Goddess, and wisdom. Wood makes an ideal pentacle, and is very easy to work with. Wood absorbs and radiates energy, infusing the focused thought-forms into the objects placed upon it. Choose the wood for your pentacle according to the natural vibrations you would like it to have. Apple: Belongs to Aphrodite, Venus, Freya, Ishtar, Cerridwen, and the element of Water; used for love, passion, fertility, foundation, and inspiration. Ash: Corresponds to the gods Neptune, Odin, and Mercury and the elements of Air and Water; aids in mental clarity. Birch: Associated with the mysteries of the Goddess; the elements of Earth, Air, and Water; is used in making parchment; contributes to health, healing, and general magick. Hawthorn: Belongs to Mars, Thor, Blodeuwedd, and Hera; the elements of Fire and Earth; allows access to the underworld; is protective, cleansing, and helps to manifest desire. Hazel: Equates with Mercury, Hermes, Woden, and Thor; the elements of Air and Water; is associated with dowsing, divination, finding hidden things, and developing wisdom. Maple: Corresponds to Jupiter; the element of Air; promotes love, longevity, and material success. Oak: Associated with Zeus, Thor, Juno, Diana, Rhea, Demeter, Dagda, Bridget; the elements of Fire and Earth, and sometimes Water; permits entrance into the mysteries, is a keeper of knowledge, and promotes courage, spiritual strength, and protection. Pine: Aligns with Mars, Freya, Osiris, Cybele; the element of Fire; helps with birth, purification, insight, and divination. Metal Metals are the bones of the Earth; the reflection of the powers of the God and Goddess. Metals are beautiful, they conduct energy, and they were considered to be sacred in ancient times. In addition to their temporal qualities, each metal is aligned with a planetary energy that influences all it comes in contact with. Most New Age and Occult shops carry a variety of planetary pentacles for practitioners to choose from. The following six metals are most often used in the construction of altar pentacles. Silver: Associated with the Moon, Artemis, Selene, Hecate, Diana, Sin, Shiva; the element of Water; encourages the feminine mystique, intuition, instinctive wisdom, spiritual and psychic understanding, fertility, and magick. Gold: Belongs to the Sun, Apollo, Dionysius, Helios, Sol, Vishnu, Ra; the element of Fire; develops strength, power, success, achievement, wealth, and masculine energy. Copper: Corresponds to Venus, Aphrodite, Ishtar, Lakshmi, Bast; the elements Water and Fire; aids with matters of the heart, love, passion, friendship, reconciliation of differences, harmony, beauty, and attraction. Tin: Associated with Jupiter, Zeus, Athens, Poseidon, Minerva, Marduk, and Indra; the element of Water; helps with idealism, expansion, attracting success, obtaining justice, religious leadership, and prosperity. Iron: Belongs to Mars, Volcanus, Durga, and Sekhmet; the element of Fire; supports dynamic energy, enthusiasm, courage, bodily strength, and war. Lead: Corresponds to Saturn, Hera, Kronos, Saeturnus, Parvati, Kali, and Ptah; the element of Earth; encourages creativity, the bringing of ideas into material form, restriction, formation, discipline. Stone Stone is the symbol of stability, durability, immorality, cohesion, and the indestructibility of the supreme reality. Stones often accompany trees in sacred places, or stand alone to mark a sacred place or event. The Stone of Foundation is the rock on which the universe was founded, the keystone of the Earth and source of the waters of life, the rock that prevails against Hades and the powers of the underworld. The stones listed here are ones that usually come in slices or sections large enough to fashion into a pentacle. Agate: Associated with Mercury; the elements of Earth and Fire; helps to build courage, strength, and self-healing, is good for protection. Beryl: Corresponds to Neptune, Tiamat, Mara; the element of Water; can be used for healing, love, and to stop gossip. Calcite: Equates with Venus; the element of Water, aids in centring, spiritual endeavors, purification, protections, and healing. Geodes: Associated with the Great Mother; the element of Water; are used for meditation and fertility. Malachite: Corresponds to Venus; the element of Earth; is good to use for love, peace, business success , and power. Petrified Wood: Is not an actual stone but rather a fossil that is associated with the Akasha and the elements; most often used for past-life regression, healing, and protection. Information Source A Solitary Pagan